Theft deterrent wheel fastener cap assembly and method

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a decorative cap for enclosing the head of a wheel bolt or wheel nut or the like which fastens a wheel to the hub of a vehicle, comprising an end closure wall, an endless side wall extending from an outer periphery of said end closure wall, a skid extending radially outwardly from a periphery of said side wall, and said skirt having a plurality of locking lips depending therefrom for releasably gripping the head.

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. provisionalapplication serial No. 60/375,896, filed Apr. 26, 2002, entitled “THEFTDETERRENT WHEEL CAP ASSEMBLY AND METHOD.”

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This invention relates generally to wheel bolts or nuts forfastening a wheel to a vehicle hub. It relates particularly to adecorative cap for a theft deterrent bolt head or nut.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Theft deterrence for automobile or truck wheels, for example, issometimes provided with a key type removal mechanism. One of theplurality of wheel bolts or nuts has a unique keying featureincorporated, and the bolt or nut can only be removed with a key carriedby the vehicle operator.

[0004] Although anti-theft lock mechanisms such as these are effectiveagainst amateur thieves, professionals defeat them given a reasonableamount of time to do so. The present invention is designed to furtherthwart thieves seeking to remove vehicle wheels quickly.

[0005] There are numerous decorative caps for wheel nuts or bolts in theprior art. Some examples are seen in the Toth U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,272,the Lanham U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,202 and the Nolan et al. U.S. Pat. No.5,180,266, for example. None provide the advantages hereinafterdiscussed in relation to the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is an object of the invention to provide an improveddecorative wheel cap for a vehicle wheel bolt or wheel nut.

[0007] It is another object to provide a new and improved wheel bolt orwheel nut and decorative cap assembly which functions as a theftdeterrent.

[0008] Still another object is to provide a method of concealing a keyedwheel bolt or wheel nut head with an improved decorative cap, as well asremoving the cap when access to the bolt or nut is desired.

[0009] The foregoing and other objects are realized in a decorative capfor a wheel bolt or nut head, a decorative cap and wheel bolt or nutassembly, and a tool and method for removing the cap from a bolt or nuthead. The cap, assembly, tool and method embodying features of theinvention are illustrated and described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The invention, including the construction of wheel fastener caps,their assembly with wheel bolts and wheel nuts, and the method of useare illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the drawings, in which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a decorative wheel capembodying features of the invention;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the wheel cap seen in FIG. 1;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the wheel cap seen in FIGS. 1 and2;

[0014]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view (partially in section) of awheel bolt with an internal key drive and which is adapted to receivethe wheel cap seen in FIGS. 1-3;

[0015]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the bolt seen in FIG. 4;

[0016]FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of an assembly comprising thecap of FIGS. 1-3 and the bolt of FIGS. 4 and 5;

[0017]FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of a tool employed according tothe invention for removing a wheel fastener cap embodying the inventionfrom a wheel bolt or nut;

[0018]FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

[0019]FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C show the tool seen in FIGS. 7 and 8 being usedin push-on, engagement and pull-off steps involved in the cap removalmethod of the invention;

[0020]FIG. 10 is a side elevational view (partially in section) of awheel nut with an external key drive and which is adapted to receive thewheel cap seen in FIGS. 1-3;

[0021]FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the nut seen in FIG. 10; and

[0022]FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of an assembly comprising thecap of FIGS. 1-3 and the nut of FIGS. 10 and 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1-3, adecorative cap for a vehicle wheel bolt or nut is seen generally at 10.The cap 10 is preferably formed in one piece from stainless steel sheetmetal and includes a dome-shaped outer wall 12 and a generallycylindrical side wall 14 extending therefrom. A radially outwardlyextending skirt 16 is formed around the inner end of the side wall 14.

[0024] The side wall 14 is polygonal in cross-sectional configuration sothat it will appear to fit over the torque wrench gripping section of awheel bolt head or wheel nut head in a manner hereinafter discussed. Theskirt 16 has three identical locking lip segments 18 on its free inneredge 19, and extending slightly inwardly toward the center line CL ofthe cap 10.

[0025] Each lip segment 18 extends around approximately 600 of thecircumference of the skirt 16.

[0026] The segments 18 are evenly spaced around the edge 19.

[0027] Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, a wheel bolt to which the cap 10is assembled in use is seen generally at 130. The wheel bolt 130includes an externally threaded shaft section 132 at its inner end, anenlarged annular intermediate section 134 above the threaded shaftsection and a head section 136 at its outer end.

[0028] The enlarged annular intermediate section 134 has a load bearingsurface 138 which is segmentally spherical in shape, but might also befrusto-conical. Extending outwardly from the outer edge of the surface138 in the intermediate section 134 is a cylindrical surface 142.

[0029] The intermediate section 134 is capped with an annular shoulder144 which is somewhat frusto-conical in shape, albeit inverted relativeto the load bearing surface 138.

[0030] The outer periphery of the shoulder 144 overhangs the cylindricalsurface 142 to form an annular, outwardly protruding bead 146.

[0031] The head section 136 has a cylindrical outer surface 152.Extending axially inwardly from the free end 154 of the head section 136is an internal drive well 156. The well 156 has a series of axiallyextending key grooves 158 formed in its inner surface. The key groovesare designed to mate, in a conventional manner, with a complementary key(not shown) which is used with a conventional wrench to tighten orloosen the bolt 130.

[0032] Referring now to FIG. 6, the cap 10 is assembled with the bolt130 in the manner illustrated. Assembly is normally by hand, with thecap 10 sliding loosely over the cylindrical surface 152 of the bolt headsection 136 until the lip segments 18 are forced outwardly by theshoulder 144 of the intermediate bolt section and then snap inwardlyunder the bead 146.

[0033] With the cap 10 in place, the bolt 130 looks just like everyother capped bolt (not shown) holding a wheel in place. The differenceis that the other bolts are conventional polygon head bolts, and notinternally keyed like the bolt 130. All of the bolts have identicalcaps, but only one is specially keyed in the manner of bolt 130. A thiefis not only faced with one specially keyed bolt as a deterrent, but alsothe problem of locating that bolt (or even looking for it) in the littletime normally available.

[0034] Referring now to FIGS. 7-9, a cap removal tool embodying featuresof the invention is seen generally at 210. In FIGS. 7 and 8 the tool 210is shown alone. In FIGS. 9A, 9B and 9C, it is shown being used insequential steps to remove a cap 10 from a wheel bolt 130.

[0035] The tool 210 comprises an elongated cylindrical sleeve 212fabricated of steel tubing or, in the alternative, a suitable plasticmaterial. The sleeve 212 includes an outer hand grip section 214 inwhich the tubing wall is relatively thick, as at 216. The sleeve 212also includes an inner cap gripping section 218 in which the tubing wallis thinner, as at 222.

[0036] The cap gripping section 218 of the tool 210 has an annular,inwardly extending ledge 224 formed on its free end. The cap grippingsection 218 is also segmented along about one-half its length, inwardlyof the ledge 224, by axially extending cut-outs 226. The resultingconfiguration of the section 218 is one of six axially extending fingers228 which can flex inwardly and outwardly in a manner hereinafterdiscussed.

[0037] The tool 210 is used by pushing it onto an installed cap 10 inthe manner shown in FIG. 9A. The ledge segments 224 are forced overlocking lip segments 18 of the cap 10. The ledge segments 224 thenspring inwardly, behind the free ends of the locking lip segments 18, tothe position shown in FIG. 9B.

[0038] The operator then pulls the tool 210 away from the bolt 130, asseen in FIG. 9C. The ledge segments 224 on the tool 210 pull the lipsegments 18 of the cap 10 back over the head 146 on the bolt 130,releasing the cap and permitting its removal by hand.

[0039] To this point, the inventions disclosed have been described inthe context of a vehicle wheel bolt 130 which is internally keyed, as at158. As was previously pointed out, however, the inventions are equallyapplicable to vehicle wheel nuts and, particularly, keyed wheel nuts.

[0040]FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate a keyed wheel nut 330 embodyingfeatures of the invention. The wheel nut 330 is similar to the lug bolt130 previously discussed with respect to its invention-related features.

[0041] The nut 330 includes an internally threaded bore 332, an enlargedannular intermediate body section 334 around the threaded bore and ahead section 336 adjacent that. The annular intermediate section 334 hasa generally frusto-conical load-bearing surface 338 (which might also bespherical). Extending upwardly from the outer edge of the surface 338 inthe intermediate section 334 is a cylindrical surface 342.

[0042] The intermediate section 334 is capped with an annular shoulder344 which is somewhat frusto-conical in shape, albeit inverted relativeto the load-bearing surface 338. The outer periphery of the shoulder 344overhangs the cylindrical surface 342 to form an annular, outwardlyprotruding bead 346.

[0043] The head section 336 has a generally cylindrical outer surface352. The surface 352 has a series of axially extending key grooves 358formed in it. The key grooves are designed to mate, in a conventionalmanner, with a complementary key (not shown) which is used with a torquewrench to tighten or loosen the bolt 330.

[0044] A cap 10 is mounted on the wheel nut 330 in the manner shown inFIG. 12. This is accomplished in a manner identical to that previouslydescribed in relation to the bolt 130. Correspondingly, the cap 10removal process is identical.

1. A decorative cap for enclosing the head of a wheel bolt or wheel nutor the like which fastens a wheel to the hub of a vehicle, comprising:a) an end closure wall; b) an endless side wall extending from an outerperiphery of said end closure wall, c) a skid extending radiallyoutwardly from a periphery of said side wall, and d) said skirt having aplurality of locking lips depending therefrom for releasably grippingthe head.
 2. The decorative cap of claim 1 further characterized inthat: a) said end closure wall, said side wall and said skirt, includingsaid locking lips, are unitary and comprise a sheet material which isflexible and resilient.
 3. The decorative cap of claim 2 furthercharacterized in that: a) said sheet material is stainless steel.
 4. Thedecorative cap of claims 1, 2 or 3 further characterized in that: a)said plurality of lips comprise at least three lips, substantiallyevenly spaced around said skirt.
 5. The decorative cap of claims 1, 2 or3 further characterized in that: a) each of said lips extends axially ofsaid side wall as well as slightly radially inwardly therefrom.
 6. Anassembly of a decorative wheel cap and the head of a wheel bolt or wheelnut, comprising: a) a bolt or nut head, said head having i) an outer endand an inner end, ii) an annular bead extending radially outwardly fromsaid inner end, b) a cap including i) an end closure wall, ii) anendless side wall depending from a periphery of said side wall, iii) askirt extending radially from a free end of said side wall, iv) saidskirt having a plurality of locking lips depending therefrom, and c)said cap being releasably seated on said head by said locking lipsoverlying and gripping said bead.
 7. A method of concealing and thendisclosing the form of a wheel bolt head or wheel nut head securing awheel to a vehicle nut by releasably securing a cap over said head andthen releasing it, comprising the steps of: a) providing a head with anannular bead extending around it; b) providing a decorative capincluding a wall for enclosing said head and a skirt extending radiallyout from said wall, said skirt having retaining lips thereon; c) seatingsaid cap on said head by manually forcing said lips over said bead sothat they bend outwardly and shape resiliently behind said bead; d)providing a removal tool in the form of a sleeve having radiallyexpandable gripping fingers at one end; and e) placing said sleeve oversaid cap so as to engage said gripping fingers with said lips andwithdrawing said sleeve to disengage said lips from said bead.